With the increasing complexity of today's software and the proliferation of computer viruses, spyware and malware, computer crashes are not an uncommon occurrence. When a user's computer suffers a catastrophic crash, the computer may not restart properly or the user may discover that his hard drive has been damaged or erased. Such permanent damage to a user's files is particularly common where virus or malicious software is involved. When such damage occurs the data on the user's computer will be lost, unless the user has previously saved the files on other storage media other than the local computer's hard drive.
Data can also be lost due to physical damage of the computer or computer data storage device. Portable computers, including notebook computers, hand held computes such as personal data assistants (“PDA”) and mobile telephones are particularly vulnerable to physical damage as well as theft. Often loss of the data is more significant than the loss or damage to the hardware. Accordingly, data storage and retrieval is important.
Conventional file backup and storage systems typically involve hardware and software that copies all files on a computer. The entire drive—including large programs, hidden files, and other extraneous data—is typically copied, compressed and then either stored on local storage media, such as an attached disk or a special partition of the user's computer hard drive. This process is time-consuming and typically must be done when the user is not already using the computer as the conventional backup process will be interrupted when the backup system attempts to copy a system file that is in use. Further, restoring a computer from a back-up is a tedious and lengthy process. The difficulty of this process is especially problematic if the user needs immediate access to data that was only saved on his damaged computer.
A user may need to access data on a home or office computer when away from his home or office. While a number of programs currently exist enabling a user to access data on a remote computer from a second computer, these programs typically require the installation of special software on both computers to operate and requires the computer to be accessed remotely to be in particular state. If the home or office computer has been powered down or restarted, for example as a result of an automatic operating system update, the remote-access software will not be operative and data on the home or office computer will remain inaccessible. While use of portable computers partially resolves this problem, such portable devices are frequently the target of theft.
Another common problem is missed obligations, such as driver's license renewals, license plate sticker renewals, annual payments and birthdays, just to name a few. Today it is the individual's responsibility to keep up with the many obligations, regardless of notifications by government agencies or the like. Even if a notice, e.g. a license renewal, does not reach the individual, he/she is still held responsible. Appointment books in both manual and computerized form are commonly used to calendar dates, but these systems are not entirely satisfactory. Furthermore, if a computer-based calendar is used and the computer is damaged or crashes, appointments and other dates are lost.
The difficulties of file backup and calendar management are compounded in a multi-user environment, such as a small business. A small organization may use a Local Area Network (LAN) to manage the computers, printers, mail servers and storage devices used by the organization. This requires a significant financial investment in technology and in information technology (IT) professionals to support such LANs. If the LAN fails due to a virus or some other cause, the work of the organization is significantly impaired.
Additionally, if a member of the organization is away from the office's physical location, that person may only have limited access to his electronic workplace. In addition, if the physical office becomes inaccessible, such as due to a fire, flood, or blizzard or the like, the organization will have difficulty functioning.